Phil Hill: Why young people's uncouthness needs calling out

I was accompanied by my similarly exhausted gym buddy as we made our way along Station Road into Kingston Road.

Both of us were looking forward to sinking into the sofa in front of our TVs as we shuffled along a narrow, icy pavement in Clifton Terrace.

Suddenly three or four lads on bikes shot in front of us on the pavement, followed by three or four more behind us.

There was a tinkle of a bell from the rear as the second contingent of the youth brigade let us know they wished to pass.

“I’m not moving - they shouldn’t be on the pavement,” grumpy, I said to my friend.

He whispered back: “Don’t say anything - they might have knives.”

I’m not suggesting they did, but of course, his comment put the image in my mind.

The bell continued to tinkle as we moved silently into Cheddon Road, where my friend went one way, I went another, and the cyclists sped off.

But not before one of them proved sarcasm is thriving as he shouted: “Thanks very much, really appreciated.”

Followed by some pretty ugly name-calling by one of the young ruffians.

It felt akin to a footballer applauding the referee after being yellow-carded for a vicious foul.

Other than breaking the Highway Code and the Highways Act 1835, their actions were unnecessarily intimidating.

And if they are unaware of cycle lanes on our roads, where have those inconsiderate and rude lads been these last few years?

I am most definitely not going on a ‘young people today’ rant.

Far from it.

I was simply disgusted by the behaviour of the cyclists and the verbals fired off by one of them.

Most young people I come into contact with are kind, thoughtful, polite, engaging and decent.

But when members of the small minority of yobs step out of line, they deserve to be called out.

However, always remember we older ones have no immunity to criticism when we break the rules - whether those rules be written in law or are simply a part of civilised behaviour.